Woman Tries to Bring Gun To WDW

WDWNT on December 10, 2007

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Security at Walt Disney World discovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun during a routine safety check at the theme park on Sunday. They said the weapon belonged to Mary Ann Richardson, 63 of Pennsylvania. Richardson was trying to enter Walt Disney World with her family. She told security that she traveled with the handgun and forgot it was inside her purse. Along with the loaded 32 caliber semi-automatic handgun, security also found a pair of scissors and a locked blade knife in the purse. Walt Disney World Security notified the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies took Richardson into custody and charged her with possession of a concealed weapon. She is held in the Orange County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

SSE Soft Openings

WDWNT on December 7, 2007

A reader just left us an voicemail reporting that Spaceship Earth is open right now, they are allowing guests on the attraction this evening. If you have seen the new Spaceship Earth and would like to tell us your review or report on the changes, feel free to call our voicemail at 206-350-8232 or email us at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com.

SSE Preview in the Orlando Sentinel

WDWNT on December 7, 2007

Disney makes changes to Epcot’s Spaceship Earth attraction

Dewayne Bevil |Sentinel Staff Writer 6:38 PM EST, December 6, 2007
Epcot enthusiasts will have a ball again soon. Construction walls near Spaceship Earth, iconic sphere of the theme park, will fall sometime next week, after five months of refurbishment, Walt Disney World officials said. Inside are changes in content, new interactive components and enhancements of items that have marked the attraction since day one.

Its theme has shifted from communication through the ages to one of inspiration and innovation. The most recent script, read by Jeremy Irons, has been scrapped — the new narrator is Oscar winner Judi Dench, whose words guide riders through the generations.

“The story is those building blocks that got us to today,” said Bob Zalk, show producer. The plot winds through several scenes familiar to Spaceship Earth fans: the Egyptians, the burning of Rome (that smoky aroma remains), the Renaissance, the switchboard and more. All scenes up through the 1960s living room remain, but elements have been repositioned and upgraded. Each have new lights and costumes. Some Audio-Animatronics are increasingly lifelike.

“We’ve technologically updated the figures so they can move around more than before,” said Eric Jacobson, senior vice president of Walt Disney Imagineering. “That’s something we couldn’t do in the ’80s.” Especially striking are a Greek teacher and a Roman soldier.

Fresh content is most apparent as riders near the top of the sphere. New sets representing the invention of the computer mainframe and the garage where the personal computer was developed lead to the darkened, downward second half of the experience. As the cars coast down the rail, passengers answer seven questions about their future on a touch screen. (Do you prefer the journey or the destination? While away, do you worry more about your home or your pet?) Answers are melded into a customized piece of retro-yet-futuristic cartoon for each row.

Other changes blend old and new. The revised living room steers attention to the 1969 moon landing on TV — featuring reports from Walter Cronkite, a former narrator of Spaceship Earth.

“We think the traditionalists will be happy,” Jacobson said.

Finishing touches continue, but a few Epcot visitors may get a peek before the official opening. Elements to come later include language options selected by passenger (a Disney first) and more post-show goodies, including a game called Power City and a big globe pinpointing where each day’s visitors live.

Insider Video Here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/video/?slug=orl-wn-disneyvideo1207067

Third Death at WDW

WDWNT on December 6, 2007

From Mickeynews.com:

Walt Disney World suffered a third death late last week but unlike the two previously reported deaths the third was immediately ruled natural. A 71-year-old man died after having a heart attack on a Disney bus, according to officials.

The man’s name has not been released. Shortly before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon he fell unconscious while riding a bus toward Magic Kingdom. A Disney spokeswoman said the bus pulled over at the Magic Kingdom toll plaza and Reedy Creek paramedics arrived but were unable to revive him.

In a previously-reported incident on Friday a 72-year-old man who fell at the Magic Kingdom on Thursday died of his injuries, according to Disney officials. The day before a Disney employee, Karen Price, 63, died from injuries she sustained when she was hit by a Primeval Whirl roller coaster car at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Note: An earlier version of this posting had unfortunately drawn from an earlier report that the 72-year-old man who fell at the Magic Kingdom had slipped. Disney officials said the family advised them that the man did not slip, but had lost his balance and fallen.

SSE Almost Ready

WDWNT on December 6, 2007

The cast members for the newly refurbished Spaceship Earth at Epcot can now be seen roaming Future World in their brand new costumes as they await word on when the attraction will open. The ride will probably have a limited test run within the next week, with soft openings starting by December 18th. By no means is the work on Spaceship Earth complete, a lot of the refurbishment that was supposed to happen on the early scenes of the attraction was postponed due to complaints from Epcot management that the attraction would not be open for the holidays. The attraction will still be very different and refreshed when it re-opens, but as was originally reported, the attraction will probably close again for a few days in February 2008.

Parade Rumblings

WDWNT on December 6, 2007

It is being rumored that both the Disney Dreams Come True and Spectromagic Parades at the Magic Kingdom could be replaced in 2009. It is believed that the daytime parade will be replaced by Disneyland’s Parade of Dreams, while Spectromagic will be replaced with Tokyo Disneyland’s Version of the Main Street Electrical Parade, Dreamlights. It is also rumored that Spectromagic would be refurbished and shipped off to Disney’s California Adventure park in 2010.

Block Party Bash

WDWNT on December 6, 2007

Rumors now suggest that the new Block Party Bash parade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios could be making it’s first appearance as soon as February 2008. The previous date set for the debut was March 16th at 3pm. More on this as it becomes available.

SSE Soft Openings

WDWNT on December 4, 2007

Numerous sources are reporting that Spaceship Earth at Epcot will now be open for the Christmas rush at Walt Disney World. The attraction could open any day now as work on the basic attraction is about to wrap up, given that initial testing with Imagineers and Cast Members manages to go well. If problems arise during the testing, then Spaceship Earth’s scheduled opening will go back to February 2008. We will have more on this as it becomes available.